STORY: Members of the Iranian-American community on Friday (January 16) held a vigil near the White House honoring Iranians killed in the recent uprising, believed to be in the thousands, and condemned the ruling regime, calling for freedom in Iran.

"The message here is keep pressure on Iran. And what's really important is, as the vigil tonight is calling for all political prisoners need to be free," said Ramesh Sepehrrad, advisory chair for the Organization of Iranian-American Communities.

Iran's deadly crackdown appears to have broadly quelled protests for now, residents said on Friday, as state media reported more arrests in the shadow of repeated U.S. threats to intervene if the killing continues.

U.S. President Donald Trump, whose repeated threats to act had included a vow to "take very strong action" if Iran executed protesters, said Tehran's leaders had called off mass hangings.

The protests erupted on December 28 over economic hardship and swelled into widespread demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule, culminating in mass violence at the end of last week. According to opposition groups and an Iranian official, more than 2,000 people were killed in the worst domestic unrest since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JANUARY 16, 2025) (REUTERS-Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING "REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN BY THE PEOPLE OF IRAN" AND OTHER SLOGANS AS THEY HOLD SIGNS AND FLAGS AROUND A MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL SHOWING PHOTOS OF SOME OF THOSE REPORTED KILLED DURING RECENT UPRISINGS IN IRAN

2. WOMAN PLACES FLOWERS IN FRONT OF VIGIL MEMORIAL TO FALLEN IRANIANS

3. VARIOUS VIGIL PARTICIPANTS HOLDING SIGNS SHOWING PHOTOS OF IRANIANS REPORTED KILLED IN THE 2026 UPRISING WHILE CHANTING

4. VARIOUS VIEWS OF MEMORIAL SIGN HONORING FALLEN IRANIANS AS PARTICIPANTS CHANT "NO SHAH, NO TO MULLAHS, FREEDOM IN IRAN" AND OTHER SLOGANS AGAINST THE RULING REGIME.

5.(SOUNDBITE)(English) RAMESH SEPEHRRAD, ADVISORY CHAIR FOR ORGANIZATION OF IRANIAN-AMERICAN

COMMUNITIES , SAYING:

"Supporters of the Iranian resistance, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, have gathered in front of White House tonight to hold a candlelight vigil in memory of those who have fallen for freedom. As you know, the Iranian regime has killed thousands over the past 17 days, and there is an internet shutdown."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE)(English) RAMESH SEPEHRRAD, ADVISORY CHAIR FOR ORGANIZATION OF IRANIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES , SAYING:

"The message here is keep pressure on Iran. And what's really important is, as the vigil tonight is calling for, all political prisoners need to be free. So President Trump should set that as a new red line to have the Iranian regime release 50,000 protesters, peaceful protesters that were arrested by the regime. So we're asking the White House, keep the pressure on Iran."

8. VIGIL PARTICIPANTS MARCHING AND CHANTING WITH IRANIAN FLAGS NEAR WHITE HOUSE

9. (SOUNDBITE)(English)MAJID SADEGHPOUR, POLITICAL DIRECTOR, ORGANIZATION OF IRANIAN-

AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, SAYING:

"I think there are institutions in the global arena that can hold the regime accountable. Certainly our allies in Europe are significant players in this. Many of our European allies still have ties with the regime in Iran. Many of those nations, really all of them are aware that all of the money and commerce that they're conducting goes through the IRGC. And the IRGC is directly responsible for the massacre that we saw unfolding in Iran just the last few days. I think those are important measures that our allies can take and must take and certainly America's pressure on these allies can be a significant player."

10. VARIOUS OF VIGIL PARTICIPANTS MARCHING WITH FLAGS AND SIGNS NEAR WHITE HOUSE